


Can't You Hear Me Knocking

by Bootsncatz (bootsncatz)



Series: Wishin and Hopin [4]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: 60's AU, F/F, Fluff and Smut, NSFW, Wayhaught - Freeform, You've been warned, but there's also some intense angst in the front, it's mostly just dirty things, like for real, so like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 03:30:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15015698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bootsncatz/pseuds/Bootsncatz
Summary: A tragedy at work sends Nicole spiraling into another deep depression and shell shock. Wynonna gives her a way to cope but she could never expect the results after Waverly gets involved.





	Can't You Hear Me Knocking

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so like...this started out being angsty...then it turned into something completely NSFW. Sorry!
> 
> As always, special shout out to [theGayNerd](https://twitter.com/iamthegaynerd) and [LuckyWantsToKnow](https://twitter.com/moxiepurzell) for being my awesome betas.

_Arizona, 1971_

Fire.

It always started with fire. The loud roar in Nicole’s ears, the heat on her flesh, making her itch. The screams that pierced her ears echoed in her pulse. She blinked, looking around, but she was surrounded by flame.

“Hello?” she yelled out. 

She felt the weight of the rifle in her hand for the first time. She looked down, flexing her fingers on the cold metal and taking in her uniform. Nicole could even feel her dog tags under her shirt and her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest.

Suddenly the air was sucked out of the room and all the fire was gone. She blinked, darkness surrounding her. She blinked again and she was on the street. Fifth Street to be exact. Her grip tightened on her gun as she looked around. Nedley was to her right, leaning against one of the department cruisers, gun held down in front of him as he looked over the top of the car towards the bank. To her left were Lonnie and Marshall, both covering the front of the bank.

“Haught! Get down!” Nedley said, seemingly unfazed by the fact that she was dressed in her Army uniform. 

Nicole knelt behind the front of the car, pushing back the helmet on her head a little bit to see better. She trained her rifle on the bank just as a kid ran out yelling in Vietnamese. He had something in his hand and Nicole felt her breath catch.

“Sir-”

“Shoot.”

“But-”

“Shoot, Haught!”

Her finger squeezed the trigger but her gun jammed, the metallic click echoing louder than it should have. Marshall stood to shoot and was thrown back, a bullet passing through his skull. Blood sprayed out the back and Nicole felt something hot and wet splash on her face.

She opened her mouth to scream and-

“Nicole!”

Nicole snapped her mouth shut. He chest was heaving and her clothes were cold with sweat. She felt like she had been drowning, lungs tight and burning as she gasped. She blinked, looking around the dark room until brown eyes found hazel. Waverly looked at her, a hand hovering over her arm as she stared, wide eyed.

“Are you okay?” Waverly whispered, “You were screaming. I-”

“I’m fine,” Nicole said abruptly, swinging her legs out of bed and cradling her head in her hands. The pounding in her skull hadn’t gone away since-

“Is it Marshall…?”

Nicole stood up from the bed abruptly, rubbing her hands together to try to hide how they were shaking. “I have to go on a walk.”

She could hear the bedding rustle as Waverly sat up, and she shakily reached for her army jacket.

“Want me to come with you?” Waverly asked, voice small. She knew the answer. They both knew. It was the courtesy of asking, it was what she was supposed to do.

“I’m fine. Thanks,” Nicole said slipping out of the bedroom. She walked onto the street and breathed in deeply. The crisp desert air expanded her lungs and burned. A familiar, comforting burn. This fire in her chest she welcomed.

She squeezed her eyes shut but all she could see was Marshall lying on the ground, blood gushing from his chest and over her hands. She could still feel the warm, thick blood spilling between her fingers, spurting with each beat of his heart. It got weaker with each second and Nicole just looked on helplessly.

Nicole pressed her palms into her eyes, white lights popping behind her eyelids as she took a shaky breath. She thought it was over. She thought she was over all of… _this_.

“Fuck,” she breathed out, feeling hot tears leaking from her eyes. “Fuck.”

***

Nicole sat outside their apartment, head swimming and eyes fixed on her steering wheel. The radio played in the background and she vaguely hummed the tune. She tipped back the small whiskey bottle she’d bought on the way home from work, getting every last drop out of it that she could before throwing the empty bottle into the backseat.

Everything hurt. Her head, her chest...but the whiskey made it better. It made her forget. For now.

There was a soft knock on her window and her hand immediately went to the gun still on her belt, eyes darting over to the window. Wynonna was standing there with a frown on her face. Nicole took her hand away from her weapon and rolled down the window.

“Can I ‘elp you?” Nicole said, voice gravelly from the alcohol.

“Says the one sitting in her running car in the middle of the night like a murderer,” Wynonna deadpanned.

Wynonna leaned into her window, arms folded on the edge as she peered into the backseat. Nicole bristled but stayed stiff. If she didn’t move, she wouldn’t look drunk. Wynonna practically lunged forward towards Nicole’s face and breathed deeply.

“How much have you had to drink?” Wynonna asked as she pulled away.

Nicole scoffed. “Leave me alone, Wynonna.”

“Oh, Haught stuff,” Wynonna said shaking her head slowly, “You already know I’m not gonna do that. It’s not the Earp way.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair, fingers catching on tangles. She looked down at her hands and picked at the nails. She remembered how long it took to get Marshall’s blood out from under them. She’d rubbed her hands raw, skin cracked and bleeding. 

“Nicole,” Wynonna said, snapping her fingers to get her attention. Nicole looked up from her hands and back at her friend.

“Hm?”

“Waverly said you’ve just been sitting out here. For hours,” Wynonna said, “Let’s get you upstairs, huh?”

Nicole’s head rolled to the side as she looked up at Wynonna with a squint. “Waverly called you.”

“Yeah, because she’s fucking worried about you,” Wynonna said. “She didn’t ask me to come over, I took that upon myself because I’m real groovy.”

Nicole just grunted and began to roll up her window. Wynonna quickly reached in and unlocked the car door. Before Nicole could react, Wynonna was opening the car door and reaching for her. Nicole tried to push her away, but her movements were clumsy and Wynonna had no problem dragging her out of the car. Nicole stumbled out on her feet, uniform askew and half unbuttoned. Wynonna shut off the car and closed the door, stuffing the keys in her pocket.

“Let me help you,” Wynonna said firmly. “Let’s just go upstairs and go to bed. Yeah?” She wrinkled her nose and put her hand on Nicole’s shoulder. “But first maybe a shower because you reek of alcohol.”

Nicole grunted and reluctantly let Wynonna take her upstairs.

*** 

Waverly’s hand smoothed low over Nicole’s stomach, fingers dipping teasingly into the waistband of her boxers. Nicole tried to relax, tried to melt into it. She focused on the sensual way Waverly was kissing her neck. She should be into this...she _wanted_ to be into this.

“I can’t,” Nicole said with an apologetic shake of her head as she rolled onto her side. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Waverly said easily. 

Nicole felt annoyance flare in her stomach. Waverly was always so _goddamn understanding_. She hated it. Nicole could feel Waverly’s eyes boring into her as they lay there. She squirmed uncomfortably.

“Go to sleep, Waverly,” Nicole insisted, “I’m fine.”

She moved on her back, her arm spread open so Waverly could nestle her head on her shoulder. Waverly’s hands smoothed over Nicole’s torso, fingers following the lines of the scars on her sides. The fading scars were still a stark reminder of a time they’d both rather forget.

“I know,” Waverly said softly, pressing a kiss just below Nicole’s collarbone. Nicole swallowed thickly, eyes shut even if she didn’t think she could sleep.

She kept seeing Marshall on the ground. Dying. His casket lowering into the earth as his wife cried. She imagined Waverly standing there instead, Wynonna next to her. An empty coffin with a flag draped over the top as it descended into hell.

“I’m fine,” Nicole repeated to no one. “I’m fine.”

***

An insistent knocking at the door echoed the pounding in Nicole’s brain. She lay on the couch, a whiskey bottle sitting just out of reach as she tried to resist the urge to take a swig. She’d already had a couple and was feeling just on the verge of drunkenness. 

The pounding on the door wouldn’t stop so Nicole dragged herself off the couch, limbs feeling ten times heavier. Whether it was fatigue or the alcohol or just plain sadness, Nicole didn’t know. Or care.

“Coming!” she yelled as she reached for the knob and twisted it open. “Jesus.”

Wynonna stood on the other side, something large tucked under her arm and a bag hanging from the other. Nicole frowned at her as she took her in.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Nice to see you too, Red,” Wynonna said with an eye roll, pushing her way into the apartment. Nicole shut the door behind her, irritation level basically reaching its peak as she watched Wynonna take a look around the apartment. “No Waves?”

“She’s working.”

“Good.”

Wynonna looked in the bedroom for a moment before grunting and moving to their second smaller room. It was a liveable size, but they really had no specific use for it. Eliza had stayed there for a little bit before she left again to who knew where. There was a small window at the front of it that looked out over the street.

“Ah, okay,” Wynonna said setting her stuff down on the floor of the room. Nicole leaned against the door frame of the room and shook her head.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nicole asked as Wynonna took a tarp out and shook it out flat so it settled on the floor.

“I’m setting you up a paint room,” Wynonna said matter of factly.

Nicole frowned, alcohol making her responses slower as she watched Wynona set up an easel.

“Um...why?” 

“It’ll help.”

“Help what?”

Wynonna looked at the easel before walking over to Nicole until they were barely a foot apart. She put a finger to Nicole’s forehead and pushed her back a little.

“Help this.”

“My...head?” Nicole asked as she batted Wynonna’s hand away.

“No, your brain, dumbass,” Wynonna said with a shrug. “Listen, I-...this will help.”

Nicole felt her skin start to crawl and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from lashing out at Wynonna. She hated anyone bringing up her mind, her shellshock. She was more than that. She was more than a broken brain. What was more frustrating is that every time Nicole got over an episode, she wondered how she’d ever let herself get to that point. Then she would be plunged back into one and she wondered if she’d ever feel happy again. Happiness felt like an illusion she was sure she had made up in her mind.

“How do you know?” Nicole said instead of what she wanted to say. Which was for Wynonna to get the fuck out and leave her alone.

Wynonna took a few canvases from the bag and propped them on the wall, setting a fresh one on the easel. She took a moment before turning to look at Nicole.

“It was the one thing that helped-...that helped me. When I was in the looney bin,” she admitted, eyes on the ceiling above Nicole’s head. “It helped me get some of the-...the pain out. You know?”

Nicole felt the small ball of anger in her chest flare up and wanted to yell at Wynonna for trying to relate. For pretending like she could understand. But Nicole quelled it. If anyone had an idea of what Nicole was going through, in a way it was probably Wynonna. 

“What do I paint?” Nicole asked as Wynonna slipped out of the room to the kitchen. She took one of the island stools and carried it into the spare room. She set it in front of the easel and set some paints on it.

“Whatever you want,” Wynonna said.

“I can’t paint.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“So...I can’t paint.”

“Sure you can,” Wynonna said with a shrug. “Do I look like fucking Picasso to you or something? You just have to put the brush in some paint and make whatever shape you want. It doesn’t have to look like anything.”

Nicole shook her head skeptically. “I don’t know, Wy.”

Wynonna stood in front of Nicole and put her hands on her shoulders. “You smell like alcohol.”

Nicole felt her cheeks tint as Wynonna continued.

“And while that’s my M.O., it’s certainly not yours. I know something’s going on up there so just...try. Yeah? For Waves?”

Wynonna had an annoying knack for knowing how to get to Nicole. All she had to do was mention Waverly and Nicole would basically do anything she asked.

“Fine,” Nicole muttered. “I’ll...paint.”

“That’s the Haught I know. Reluctantly doing everything I nicely ask her to do,” Wynonna smirked. “Oh, and we’re not done.”

Wynonna walked into the living room, got the record player and carried it into the spare room.

“Wait a second,” Nicole said with a frown. “You didn’t say anything about moving the records.”

“It helps,” Wynonna said setting it up on the floor. She sat down in front of it and patted the floor for Nicole to join her. She reached into her bag and took out a joint, holding it up between her fingers as she winked at Nicole. “This helps too.”

Nicole sighed. “Wy-”

“Come on, just a little,” Wynonna said, already lighting it up, “For old times sake.”

She took a long drag, held in the smoke and let out in one luxurious exhale. Wynonna smiled at Nicole and practically shoved the joint into her hand. 

“Trust me, it will make this album make so much more sense,” she said reaching into her bag and pulling out a black album. 

The front of the album read, “Black Sabbath” in pink and “Masters of Reality” in green under it. Nicole rolled her eyes and took a long drag of the joint. The thick smoke filled her lungs and she held it in until her chest burned. She let it out, still giving Wynonna a look before passing the joint back to her. Wynonna held it between her lips as she put the record on the player and turned it on. She moved the needle to skip a couple of songs, a slow smile curling on her lips as a fast guitar riff began.

“There we go,” Wynonna said taking another drag.

Nicole could feel the sweet heaviness rolling through her body already and she laid back on the floor. She shut her eyes and felt like a thousand neurons were going off in her brain. Wynonna lay next to her and handed her back the joint. Nicole intended to say no but ended up taking another small drag.

“Are you sure this will work? The painting?” Nicole asked, handing Wynonna back the joint.

“I hope so,” Wynonna said.

“I want it to work. I want this to be over,” Nicole confessed, tongue thick. “It just feels like there’s a thousand pounds on my chest all the time. Every little movement I-...I’m not right, Wynonna.”

Wynonna shook her head. “My sister thinks you’re perfect. That’s right enough for me.”

“I’m not-”

“I know you’re not. So does she. And that’s why she thinks you are.”

Nicole sighed. “I just wanna do right by her.”

“We all do, Red. We all do.”

They lay there in silence for a moment, just listening to the music and feeling it under their skin. Like little sound waves were dancing along their arms and making the hair raise there. Nicole swore her pores were pulsing to the beat.

“Do you miss Shapiro?” Nicole asked suddenly. She remembered how she and Wynonna had practically been inseparable when she came into town. It would have been cute if Wynonna didn’t seem so miserable about it. She had blamed Nicole, of course. Saying it was because Shapiro was always with Nicole and Nicole was always with Waverly who was always with Wynonna. 

Wynonna snorted and shook her head. “Why would I? That bitch left.”

“I think she just needed some time.”

“For what?”

“To feel...to remember...something,” Nicole said, fingers laced over her stomach. “I get it.”

“So do I,” Wynonna said, voice cracking only slightly. “I think that’s the worst part.”

***

Nicole stared at the blank canvas. She had sat down and was going to do...something. But the canvas was so white, Nicole hated to ruin it. She was always ruining the perfect things in her life. Her hand tightened on the brush before she dropped it on the easel. 

***

Nicole squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to get her breathing under control. Her hand was pressed hard against the cool metal of her desk, the small space comforting. There was a bang…a loud bang like before Marshall-

She curled her fingers against the desk, nails scraping against the metal as she breathed deeply through her nose. Her nostrils flared, the metal around her smelled like blood. She swallowed thickly, afraid she was going to be sick.

“Haught, come out, please,” Nedley said, his usual gruff tone gone. Her eyes fluttered open and she realized she was under her desk. How did she get here?

Loud noises. Marshall, on the ground. Shot.

There was another bang somewhere and Nicole’s hand went straight to her holster, fingers quickly undoing the snap that held her gun in, fingers poised over the grip.

“Lonnie! Stop it!” Nedley hissed. “Get Earp on the phone.”

“Which one-”

“Which one do you think?” she heard Nedley say with irritation.

Nicole bit the inside of her cheek. She could smell it, feel it...the danger. It smelled like burning flesh in her nostrils. In the distance she could hear something coming over the police scanner; her ears perked up at the sound. But she couldn’t move. It was like she was paralyzed, muscles stiff with fear.

 _Fuck_. What was she doing? This was her job, she had to keep people safe. But here she was under a desk.

“Fuck.”

“Haught?” Nedley said. “You can stay under there if you um...need. Lonnie isn’t gonna be slamming the filing cabinets anymore.” There was some distant mumbling. “Now I’m just gonna ask one thing of ya...can you pass me your weapon? Just to check it, you know. For you.”

Nicole’s grip tightened on the handle, the metal almost cutting into her hand. She pulled it from the leather holster, smooth and weighty…she looked down at it in her hands and remembered how many times she thought how easy it would be to just...end it.

_You’re a burden at home. You’re a burden at work-_

“Haught?”

Nicole licked her lips and set the revolver on the ground, pushing it along the floor and away from her. She breathed a little easier when she watched Nedley’s hand come into view and pick it up. Her knees pressed up against her chest so hard she could feel her heart against her ribs. It was too much. This had to end. All of it. She couldn’t-

The door opened, she could hear that from under the desk. And she swore she could hear Nedley breathe a sigh of relief. There was some soft talking she couldn’t make out and then-

“Nicky,” Waverly’s voice came sweetly. “Can I come see you?”

Nicole nodded even though Waverly couldn’t see her. When she crouched down in front of the desk, face coming into view, it was like watching an angel descend from heaven.

“Waves. I’m sorry...I-”

Waverly shook her head and crawled under the desk with her. She pressed her back to the other side of the desk, their shins pressing together and knees to their chests. Waverly smiled softly and held out her hand for Nicole’s, who gave it willingly. Her fingers began kneading into Nicole’s palm in the way that always calmed her. Nicole took a deep breath. Over the metal, she could smell flowers and stale beer. Waverly had come from work.

“So,” Waverly began, “let me tell you about who came into Shorty’s today.”

Nicole just nodded, her muscles relaxing as Waverly spoke. She let her words wash over her and just...breathed.

***

_Yeah, you got satin shoes. Yeah, you got plastic boots. Y'all got cocaine eyes-_

“When was the last time you ate?”

Nicole looked up from her plate of barely eaten fries, an untouched hamburger congealing on the edge of the plate. Waverly had a tray of clean glasses resting on her hip, concern etched into the furrows in her forehead.

“Um...I had toast this morning,” Nicole said with a shrug. She picked up a cold fry and chewed it just to prove a point. “I’m fine.”

_Can't you hear me knockin' on your window-_

Waverly leaned forward and kissed Nicole on the forehead. “Hurry up and eat that before we open and people start asking me if we carry food.”

Nicole stared down at the plate and shoved another fry into her mouth. She took a long sip of beer to wash it down and cleared her throat. She was exhausted. At night, sleep eluded her. Every time she closed her eyes all she saw was blood on the pavement...and between her fingers.

_Help me baby, ain't no stranger. Can you help me baby, ain't no stranger-_

She watched as Waverly moved so naturally behind the bar. She missed her when she was away at school. Unbearably so. Waverly kept marking down the days on the calendar until she would be driving back to Boston and it certainly didn’t help Nicole’s state of mind. Dealing with this...with her mind...was hard enough as it was. But dealing with it without Waverly…

Something inside Nicole cracked, the one part of her that seemed like it wasn’t broken. Her throat hurt, constricting, and eyes welled with tears. She slipped off her stool and walked behind the bar. Waverly was wiping down the beer taps and Nicole came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Waverly immediately leaned back into her and Nicole pressed her face into her shoulder.

“I love you,” Nicole said softly, words muffled by Waverly’s shirt.

“I love you too,” Waverly said. They just stood like that, holding each other. Each tear that soaked Waverly’s shirt felt like something mending in her. Still, she wondered if she could ever be whole again.

_Hear me ringing big bell tolls. Hear me singing soft and low-_

***

The blank canvas stared back at Nicole like it was mocking her. She tightened her hold on the brush, dunking it almost angrily into some blue paint. Still she stared, the brush hovering just inches from the blank canvas but she couldn’t commit to anything. How did people do this? What was she supposed to paint?

Frustrated, she just painted a quick line down the middle of the canvas and threw her brush down with the paints.

“There, done,” she said to herself as the music played softly in the background. There was a soft knock on the door and Nicole rolled her neck before muttering, “Come in.”

_Ooh, baby, when I see your face, mellow as the month of May. Oh, darling, I can't stand it, when you look at me that way-_

Waverly’s head peeked into the door and she smiled cautiously at Nicole. “I brought you some snacks,” she said as she stepped inside, a plate loaded with fruit in her hand. Nicole let her eyes roam in appreciation over her girlfriend. Waverly wore one of Nicole’s collared paisley shirts but had tied it up just under her breasts to show off her stomach over the top of her skirt. Waverly closed the door as quietly as she could and Nicole sighed.

Nicole hated how Waverly seemed to be stepping on eggshells around her again. She thought it was something they were over a while ago, but apparently not. Nicole could feel the anxiety that pulled Waverly’s shoulders tight. She could practically see the way she stiffened with each sudden move that Nicole made. It put her more on edge than she already was. She tried to force some of the tension out of her own body, hoping Waverly would subconsciously do the same but that didn’t seem to help at all either.

“Thanks, Waves,” Nicole said forcing a small smile.

_I feel the earth move under my feet. I feel the sky tumbling down. I feel my heart start to trembling. Whenever you're around-_

Waverly set the plate down on the stool next to her and walked behind Nicole. She wrapped her arms around her from behind, chin resting on her shoulder as she looked at the canvas with her. Nicole let herself lean back into Waverly a little bit, momentarily overcome by her scent

“I see you’ve started painting,” Waverly said turning her head to place a soft kiss on Nicole’s neck.

Nicole hummed sarcastically. “Yes, I call this one ‘Blue’. Very original.”

Waverly chuckled and tightened her arms around Nicole’s shoulders. “I think it’s lovely.”

“You don’t have to lie,” Nicole said setting a hand on Waverly’s arm as the other picked up her brush again. “I just don’t know what to paint. Painter’s block. Is that a thing? I can’t even paint.”

Waverly snuggled her face further into Nicole’s neck, her breath tickling the sensitive skin there as she talked. “You can just paint anything.”

“Anything is a concept. I can’t paint a concept.”

“Smartass,” Waverly said putting her chin back on Nicole’s shoulder as she shrugged. “Paint me then.”

Nicole turned her head, running her nose along Waverly’s cheek as she did. “Like _paint_ you or paint… _you_.”

“What’s the difference?” Waverly asked.

_I know that my emotions, are something I just can't tame. I've just got to have you, baby, uh huh huh-_

“Like...paint _you_ -” Nicole gestured towards the canvas, “-or _paint_ you.” Nicole took the brush and touched it to the tip of Waverly’s nose, leaving a blue mark. Waverly gasped and frowned at Nicole, turning to look at her.

“Did you just paint me?” she asked.

Nicole shrugged, a small smile curling up one corner of her mouth. “I asked.”

Waverly lunged forward and pressed the tip of her nose to Nicole’s, kissing her lightly and leaving behind a blue mark of her own. 

“There, now we’re even,” Waverly said with her own smile.

Nicole pretended to be scandalized, eyes wide. “How dare you.”

Waverly just shrugged so Nicole painted a longer stripe down the bridge of her nose.

“Hey!”

Nicole couldn’t help but laugh. “You look cute.”

Waverly frowned but relaxed after a moment. “That felt kinda nice, actually.”

_I just lose control. Down to my very soul. I get hot and cold, all over, all over, all over, all over. I feel the earth move under my feet-_

Nicole raised an eyebrow at her with a smug smile. She gently pushed Waverly off of her shoulders and turned around on her stool, Waverly instantly slotting herself between her legs. “Oh yeah?”

Waverly’s hands settled on the top of Nicole’s thighs and she nodded. “Yeah, it did.”

She gently pushed Waverly’s hair behind her shoulders.

“What about-” Nicole took the brush and gently ran it up the side of Waverly’s neck, “-this?”

She watched as Waverly shivered, hands tightening their grip on her thighs. “That’s nice too. Cold...but nice.”

Nicole set her brush back down and her fingers found the knot that was keeping Waverly’s shirt tied up. “May I?” Nicole asked, voice low.

Waverly shivered again and simply nodded. Nicole loosened the knot of Waverly’s shirt and slowly undid the rest of the buttons so the shirt was hanging open. Nicole silently sent a prayer of thanks to whomever was responsible for her girlfriend’s aversion to bras. She ducked her head and placed a small kiss between her breasts. She pulled away, Waverly’s body swaying closer to her as if chasing her mouth. Nicole picked her brush back up, eyes locking with Waverly’s as she dipped the tip against the skin just below her throat. The brush traveled down her chest, between Waverly’s breasts and finally over her abs until it stopped just above the waistband of her skirt.

Waverly let out a long sigh, one hand coming up and tangling in the small hairs at the base of Nicole’s skull.

“How did that feel, baby?” Nicole asked, even though she could tell exactly how Waverly was feeling if her hooded eyes were anything to go by.

“Really nice,” Waverly said with a slow smile. Nicole couldn’t help it anymore and she leaned forward, capturing Waverly’s lips with her own. She could practically feel Waverly melt under the kiss as Nicole’s hands pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. It fell to the floor quietly and Nicole’s hands smoothed up Waverly’s firm, muscular back. Waverly’s fingers just curled tighter in Nicole’s hair, spurring her on as her own hands found the zipper at the back of Waverly’s skirt.

After the fabric fell to the floor, Waverly quickly stepped out of it and kicked it aside. Nicole’s kisses moved down Waverly’s neck and to her collarbone. She scraped her teeth along the protruding bone and sucked harshly just under the bone. Waverly whimpered, hips bumping against Nicole’s center and making her scoot forward on her stool. 

Nicole moved her kisses down over the top of her breast, mouth following a path she had established long ago. Her tongue peeked out to curl around a stiffened tip, Waverly eagerly pressing her breast further into Nicole’s mouth.

It had been so long since she’d touched her. Too long. With her stupid brain and stupid shell shock...everything had felt like so much _more_. Her mind was preoccupied and she couldn’t focus on one thing, let alone Waverly. But it was like a wall had come down and all she could see was Waverly. All she could feel and see and smell and taste...it was all her.

Two months. Well, nine weeks and three days to be exact. Since a bank robbery turned deadly and Nicole watched as the life slipped from her fellow Deputy’s eyes. It was something Nicole hadn’t seen since Vietnam. Something she had conveniently forgotten. Something that came flooding back so easily. But now she was here with Waverly and that was all she needed.

She pulled Waverly’s nipple between her teeth and the other girl hissed, hands tightening in red hair. Nicole moved to her other breast, lavishing it with the same attention before releasing it with a wet ‘pop’. 

“Lay down on the sheet, baby,” Nicole asked, even as she grabbed Waverly’s ass and pulled her closer. “Let me paint you.”

Waverly just nodded uselessly, kissing Nicole one last time before pulling away. Desire was coursing through Nicole’s body, making her fingers shaky when she unbuttoned her shirt as quickly as possible. Waverly laid back on the sheet covering the floor, all tan, smooth skin laid out for Nicole to feast on. With her eyes and...hopefully her mouth too. Waverly had been spending a lot of her summer at the pool and Nicole certainly wasn’t going to complain.

She took off her pants off and grabbed her brush once more before sinking onto the floor, straddling Waverly’s hips. She leaned down and kissed her again, Waverly’s hands smoothing over her back. Nicole pulled away and smiled playfully as she moved the brush across her cheekbone. 

Waverly giggled and Nicole felt her heart flutter as she placed a soft kiss on the end of her nose. She repeated the motion on the other cheek and Waverly smiled so widely her eyes turned into half moons and Nicole felt like she was falling in love all over again. She leaned down and kissed the smile off of Waverly’s face, their lips moving together ever so softly until Waverly was whimpering for more.

Nicole pulled back, sitting up and lightly circling Waverly’s nipple with the brush. Waverly’s eyes fluttered shut, mouth parting slightly at the sensations. Nicole repeated the motion with the other nipple and felt Waverly’s hips flex up into her own.

“You’re a vision,” Nicole breathed out, brushing a streak of blue that started just under Waverly’s sternum and moved over her throat. Waverly’s throat bobbed under the soft bristles, the blue paint finally almost running out on the brush.

“Nicky,” Waverly said, voice dripping with affection that made Nicole swoon, “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” Nicole promised, leaning down, hands on either side of Waverly’s head. “Forever and always.”

She tilted her head and kissed Waverly, her tongue slipping hotly into the other girl’s mouth as they curled together. Nicole’s fingers ran feather light along Waverly’s jaw and down her throat. She could feel her throat flex as she swallowed, pressing against the tips of her fingers as they found the dip of her throat. They kept moving, following the path of paint to her belly button and teasing the edge of her panties.

Nicole sucked lightly on Waverly’s tongue as she palmed her breast, the still wet paint smearing along her palm. She massaged her breast and kissed along Waverly’s jaw to her ear. She traced the shell with her tongue as Waverly’s hands smoothed up her thighs and under her boxers. Waverly scraped her nails down Nicole’s thighs and she sighed, pushing herself down against Waverly who instantly responded. Her hips pressed up into Nicole’s heated sex and they both groaned.

Waverly tugged on the edge of Nicole’s boxers as she turned her head to brush their lips together. “Take these off.”

“Bossy,” Nicole teased, ignoring her girlfriend. Instead her lips followed the path of the paint, moving down to the middle of her chest before moving to her breast. She flicked her tongue over Waverly’s nipple, ignoring the odd chalky taste of the dried paint. She would worry about poisoning later. Right now she was focused on Waverly and every small reaction her body had to her. She pulled away and moved to the other nipple to give it the same attention.

She released it and mouthed over Waverly’s stomach. She dipped her tongue into her belly button briefly before she started kissing along the top edge of her panties. Her fingers hooked into the offending garment as she pulled them off Waverly’s legs and threw them somewhere on the other side of the room.

Nicole wasted no time as she settled between Waverly’s legs, hooking her knees over her shoulders. She turned her head and kissed the inside of Waverly’s knee in the way that she knew never failed to make Waverly even wetter. Nicole watched as Waverly twisted her fingers into the sheet under her, pupils blown and trained on Nicole as she switched to the other knee.

After a few more moments of torturing Waverly, Nicole moved her kisses up the inside of Waverly’s thigh. The smell of Waverly’s arousal filled Nicole and made her lightheaded. Nicole was so turned on it was hard to think about anything but Waverly in front her her, her own sex pounding. She shifted on her stomach, taking a moment to just look at Waverly. The blue lines were now smeared, her golden skin contrasting beautifully against the blue. Nicole watched the way the blue paint on her stomach jumped as she licked a broad stripe from her entrance to her clit.

One of Waverly’s hands flew to her head, keeping her in place as she worked. Nicole moaned in delight as she gathered Waverly’s come on her tongue. Thick like honey and musky on her tongue. Waverly’s taste was one of her favorite things. She dipped her tongue into Waverly’s entrance just to feel how her hips jerked up into her. Her hands flattened over Waverly’s toned stomach as she sucked her clit into her mouth, not interested in teasing Waverly any more.

Nicole loved to bring Waverly right to the brink and pull back just to take her to the edge again. But it had been so long since they’d touched and she just _missed_ her. Just thinking about how Waverly would be leaving for school again in just a few weeks made Nicole’s heart ache. So she pushed it from her mind and focused on how Waverly was spread out for her right now, chest flushed, with one hand in Nicole’s hair and one in her own. Nicole watched mesmerized as Waverly’s breathing got shallower with each roll of her tongue over her clit.

Nicole’s fingers were pressing so hard into her hips that the skin around them was white. She scraped her teeth lightly over the heated flesh and Waverly tightened her grip on her hair.

“Nicky, I need you inside me,” she breathed. Nicole was not about to deny that request. She kept up the movements of her tongue as one hand drifted down her stomach and hips to the inside of her thigh. Her fingers slipped through Waverly’s folds, gathering the wetness there. She teased her entrance for a moment before slipping two fingers into her unceremoniously. 

“Fuck,” Waverly moaned, hips jolting up and almost breaking Nicole’s nose. She was sure she wouldn’t have even noticed with how fucking turned on she was. A gush of Waverly’s arousal coated the palm of her hand and Nicole felt her own come wet the inside of her thighs.

No matter how many time they had sex, Nicole was still in awe feeling Waverly wrapped around her fingers. To feel her pulse and every ripple of her muscles as she thrust into her. She could feel everything and it reminded her of how lucky she was every time.

Nicole pressed her hips down into the floor, looking for any kind of relief she could find. She timed the tight circles her tongue was making around Waverly’s clit with the pace she was setting with her fingers; her wrist burned but she pushed through it. Waverly whimpered above her, both hands now on Nicole’s head. Her nails scratched at her scalp, encouraging her on. Nicole curled her fingers to hit the sensitive spot on Waverly’s front wall and her legs tightened around Nicole’s head. All the moans and breathless whimpers that left Waverly’s mouth were muffled, the only thing Nicole could hear was her own pulse racing through her ears.

Nicole twisted her fingers and Waverly’s heels dug into her back as she came undone. Her back arched towards the sky, her breasts somehow looking even better as Waverly’s hands kept Nicole in place between her thighs. She felt Waverly’s walls tighten around her fingers but she didn’t stop her movements, still twisting and pressing into the spot that made her back bow even more. 

“F-fuck, Nicky,” Waverly panted, “I-”

Waverly didn’t get her sentence out before her jaw came unhinged in pleasure, her second orgasm rushing over her. Nicole didn’t think it was possible, but Waverly’s thighs tightened even more around her head as she coached her through her second orgasm. She moaned against Waverly’s dripping sex, making Waverly shiver as her legs fell limp on Nicole’s shoulders. Her fingers loosened in Nicole’s hair as her fingers absently tugged.

“I can’t-”

Nicole was already pulling away, leaving soft kisses all over her quivering lips as she pulled out of her. Waverly groaned and Nicole placed more gentle kisses along her inner thigh before moving up her body. Each muscle Nicole kissed twitched in response and she smiled smugly when she saw the blissed out expression on Waverly’s face.

“Baby, you okay?” Nicole asked sweetly as she kissed her. Waverly sighed as Nicole pulled away. She settled between her legs, stomach pressed against her still soaked core and her chin resting on the lower half of Waverly’s sternum.

“More than okay,” Waverly purred, fingers raking lazily through red hair. “I’ll-...gimme a second.”

“Take all the time you need, Waves,” Nicole said kissing her stomach once. She looked up at Waverly from between her breasts, chest still heaving and just thought about how beautiful she was. All smooth skin covered in smears of blue paint. Nicole took her fingers, still wet with Waverly’s come, and lightly circled her nipple just to watch Waverly’s brow furrow.

Waverly moaned softly and Nicole watched mesmerized as the stiff peak became shiny with her own come.

“You’re proud of yourself, aren’t you?” Waverly said as she grabbed Nicole’s wrist to stop her ministrations. She propped herself up on her elbow so she could look at Nicole better.

“Shouldn’t I be?” Nicole said with a smirk.

Waverly didn’t answer, instead she took Nicole’s fingers into her mouth. Her tongue wrapped around the digits and suddenly Nicole could only focus on how warm and slick her tongue was and how her fingers felt in Waverly’s mouth. Nicole let out a low groan when Waverly sucked her fingers clean and trailed them down her body, brown eyes locked with hazel the entire time.

“You should be, soldier,” Waverly whispered, “No one’s ever made me come like you.”

“Waves,” Nicole breathed. In a flash, Nicole’s back was hitting the ground and Waverly was above her. She was acutely aware of Waverly leaving a slick, hot mess on her stomach. Nicole watched as Waverly’s eyes flickered down to the scars on her sides. The mess of flesh and tissue that reminded her of when they almost lost each other. There was always something that came over Waverly’s eyes when she looked at it. It used to be sadness, regret...but it had changed and grown, much like their love for each other. Now it was almost reverence. 

Waverly brushed her fingers over the bumpy marks and swallowed thickly before her eyes were back on Nicole’s, hungry and ready. 

“Waves-”

Her hands found Waverly’s hips as she leaned down and placed her finger over Nicole’s lips.

“Ssh, let me make you feel good,” Waverly said with a smirk as her hips made a circle on Nicole’s stomach. “Okay, baby?”

Nicole nodded dumbly and reminded herself she’d have to thank Wynonna for this painting suggestion the next time she saw her.

***

"Haught!"

Nicole froze, spoon of cereal halfway to her mouth as Wynonna came stomping out of the spare room. Her cheeks were flushed as she squinted at Nicole who just sat in the kitchen blinking at her.

"What?" Nicole asked.

Wynonna pointed into the room. "Why are there mysterious paint smudges on the drop cloth that look a lot like boobs?"

Nicole flushed and shrugged unconvincingly.

"Did you _defile_ my baby sister with paint?" Wynonna hissed.

Nicole just shrugged again.

Wynonna threw her hands up and stomped into the living room. "Gross! That was not my intention, you know!" she said, "You try to do something nice...I should have known you two horndogs weren't going to keep it innocent."

Nicole tried not to laugh as she took a bite of her cereal. "It helped! I've been meaning to thank you."

"No wonder Waverly was so smug and smiley this morning," Wynonna said under her breath as she sat across the small table from Nicole. She pulled her bowl of cereal towards her and grabbed the spoon from her hand. Nicole opened her mouth to protest but closed it when Wynonna show her a look. "It's the least you could do."

Nicole rolled her eyes and got up to get more cereal. As she was pouring more into a new bowl, she smirked and said to Wynonna. "Those weren't her boobs, you know."

Wynonna practically screamed and Nicole felt better than she had in months.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a Spotify playlist for this fic if you're interested. Here is the link to the playlist in [fic order](https://open.spotify.com/user/1214138486/playlist/5KhitWET4l2N417v0KxnvS). 
> 
> If you want to yell at me, find me here [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bootsncatz) or here [Tumblr](http://bootz-n-catz.tumblr.com).


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